Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat – Dezeenhttps://www.dezeen.com
architecture and design magazineSat, 10 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1"Conflict and financial turmoil" will stall megatall skyscrapers says Burj Khalifa architecthttps://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/26/conflict-turmoil-stall-megatall-skyscraper-era-adrian-smith-gordon-gill-architecture-burj-khalifa/
https://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/26/conflict-turmoil-stall-megatall-skyscraper-era-adrian-smith-gordon-gill-architecture-burj-khalifa/#commentsTue, 26 Jan 2016 17:06:26 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=840254Adrian Smith, one of the architects behind the world's present and future tallest buildings, has dismissed claims that we are entering the era of the "megatall" skyscraper (+ slideshow). Chicago-based Smith – whose portfolio includes the 828-metre Burj Khalifa and the 1,000-metre-proposed Kingdom Tower – said it would be a long time before buildings over 600 metres tall become commonplace – despite technological advances. "It's not likely

But Smith said that world economies and conflicts will stand in the way of many proposed towers.

"There is too much conflict, too much financial turmoil, and too much debt within the nations that have the technical skills to see a mega-structure to fruition," he said.

Gordon Gill of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture

Smith's business parter Gordon Gill shares his scepticism.

"I think that there will always be the ambition and desire to strive for noterietay through height and I would expect that to continue," he told Dezeen.

"However, the realisation of those ideas will demand more and more stringent scrutiny by the investors as it relates to the ability to deliver these projects on an economic and technical basis. Over time, it seems the quest to go taller will become more and more challenging from a feasibility perspective."

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture's Kingdom Tower in Jeddah is set to be the world's tallest building at over 1,000 metres

Smith and Gill worked together on the Burj Khalifa – currently the world's tallest building – while both were partners at architecture firm SOM. They were also behind the Trump Tower Chicago and London's Broadgate Tower.

"Materials and technologies that enable megatall buildings continue to improve," he told Dezeen last week. "Buildings like the Burj Khalifa utilise these innovations to concentrate density and create potent symbols for communities."

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture have also drawn up plans for a 400-metre-tower for India

But London architect and anti-skyscraper campaigner Barbara Weiss is also dubious.

"More and more opposition groups are forming [against skyscraper developments], and even developers and architects working on skyscrapers appear defensive and even somewhat apologetic," she said.

]]>https://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/26/conflict-turmoil-stall-megatall-skyscraper-era-adrian-smith-gordon-gill-architecture-burj-khalifa/feed/82016 heralds beginning of the "megatall" skyscraper erahttps://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/22/2016-megatall-skyscraper-era-council-tall-buildings-urban-habitat-ctbuh/
https://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/22/2016-megatall-skyscraper-era-council-tall-buildings-urban-habitat-ctbuh/#commentsFri, 22 Jan 2016 10:54:20 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=837086The number of skyscrapers over 600 metres high – known as "megatalls" – is set to more than double in the next few years, say experts. Skyscraper authority the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has revealed that the number of 600-metre-plus buildings in the world is set to rise from three to seven in

According to the organisation, the term "supertall" – used to describe buildings over 300 metres – is no longer an indicator of extraordinary height, as there are now more that 100 skyscrapers that meet that criteria.

"With supertall skyscrapers more common than ever, many look to the megatall distinction as the new frontier for the world's tallest buildings," said CTBUH.

"That includes Jeddah Tower, which will become the world's tallest building and the first kilometre-high building upon completion."

"There are currently only three completed megatall buildings in the world, but that number is set to more than double in the coming years as four more – including Jeddah Tower – come online," it added.

SOM's Burj Khalifa in Dubai is currently the world's tallest building, and the first ever "megatall"

The first "megatall" skyscraper was SOM's Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which completed in 2010 and has held the title of world's tallest building ever since.

It was followed up in 2012 by the 601-metre-high Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Mecca. The third building to join the list was Gensler's 632-metre-high Shanghai Tower, which is now complete but yet to open.

Brian Lee, a Chicago-based partner at SOM, believes advancements in construction will continue to fuel the trend for taller and taller buildings.

"Materials and technologies that enable mega-tall buildings continue to improve," he told Dezeen. "Buildings like the Burj Khalifa utilise these innovations to concentrate density and create potent symbols for communities."

But Lee also predicts that low-rise developments will evolve faster, as cities try to find alternative ways to densify.

"I also foresee a focus on lower, interrelated developments that weave cities together to create more walkable, mixed-use, vibrant communities," he said. "Cities like Dubai are trying to be more like Paris."

The 632-metre-high Shanghai Tower is now complete, becoming the third "megatall" building

"More and more opposition groups are forming [against skyscraper developments], and even developers and architects working on skyscrapers appear defensive and even somewhat apologetic," she said.

"The property cycle is going the wrong way for towers, particularly for ones that are creating flats that are not affordable," she added. "The majority of the skyscrapers that are being built are eyesores, and are destroying communities."

]]>https://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/22/2016-megatall-skyscraper-era-council-tall-buildings-urban-habitat-ctbuh/feed/9Record number of skyscrapers completed in 2015https://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/20/record-number-skyscrapers-completed-2015-council-tall-buildings-urban-habitat-ctbuh/
https://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/20/record-number-skyscrapers-completed-2015-council-tall-buildings-urban-habitat-ctbuh/#respondWed, 20 Jan 2016 13:25:23 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=837003A record-breaking total of 106 skyscrapers over 200 metres tall were completed in 2015, and even more are predicted for 2016, according to new industry research. The annual report from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has revealed that more tall buildings were completed in 2015 than ever before – smashing the

"Perhaps even more staggering is the fact that 18 to 27 of these buildings are expected to be in the super-tall range. If true, 2016 alone would see the global total of super-talls increase by 18 per cent to 27 per cent."

2015 completions by city – click for larger image

As in previous years, Asia continues to dominate the list, particularly China. Excluding the Middle East, 81 of the year's 106 skyscrapers were located in Asia, 76 per cent of the total.

"Despite an overall slowdown in the Chinese property market, which has taken hold of the country since 2013, it appears that this has yet to manifest itself in the construction of 200-metre-plus buildings," said CTBUH.

Gensler has completed its Shanghai Tower, which is now China's tallest building and the second-tallest building in the world

"China continues to build more of these towers than any other country, and with over 300 such buildings under construction at the time of this report, it's plausible to assume that the country's momentum will continue in the near future."

"The country's long-term prospects are more uncertain," it added. "As the country continues to transition from a growth economy to a consumption economy – one that caters to the added buying power of its rising middle class – large-scale government-funded construction projects might begin to take a backseat."

432 Park Avenue is a super-tall building in Manhattan by Rafael Viñoly Architects set to open this year

But it was Jakarta that saw the highest concentration of new skyscrapers. The Indonesian capital has seven new buildings of over 200 metres, including the 258-metre-high Sahid Sudirman Center, almost double its previous record of four.

Tallest 20 buildings in 2015 – click for larger image

The experts are also predicting that super-tall skyscrapers will soon be replaced by an even taller category – the mega-tall. This includes buildings of over 600 metres, including the under-construction 1,000-metre-high Kingdom Tower in Jeddah.

]]>https://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/20/record-number-skyscrapers-completed-2015-council-tall-buildings-urban-habitat-ctbuh/feed/0Instagram photos reveal impact of Viñoly’s super-tall skyscraper on New York skylinehttps://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/15/raphael-vinoly-432-park-avenue-super-tall-skyscraper-new-york-instagram-photos/
https://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/15/raphael-vinoly-432-park-avenue-super-tall-skyscraper-new-york-instagram-photos/#commentsFri, 15 Jan 2016 15:33:21 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=834402Instagram users have captured dramatic images of 432 Park Avenue, the super-tall tower in Manhattan by Rafael Viñoly Architects that is set to open this year. Rising 1,396 feet (425 metres), the skyscraper is regarded as the tallest residential building in the western hemisphere. If measured based on roof height, it is the tallest building

Rising 1,396 feet (425 metres), the skyscraper is regarded as the tallest residential building in the western hemisphere. If measured based on roof height, it is the tallest building in New York, surpassing SOM's One World Trade Center by 28 feet (8.5 metres).

The rectilinear 96-storey skyscraper, which features a gridded concrete facade, was designed by New York-based Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly and is being developed by Macklowe Properties and CIM Group.

Construction began in 2011 and is nearly finished, with hoists expected to be removed within the next few months. An official opening date has not yet been announced, although sources say it will occur this year.

"The CTBUH officially confirmed 432 Park Avenue's completion date to be December 23, 2015, as this was when the first owners closed on their residences and the building met CTBUH's final criteria for completion – that the building be at least partially occupiable," the Chicago-based organisation stated, noting that there are now 100 completed super-tall buildings around the world.

The sale of all 104 units within 432 Park Avenue is expected to total $3.1 billion (£2.1 billion), which would set a record for New York City, according to Curbed.

Located near Central Park, the tower rises up from Park Avenue, between 56th and 57th Streets. Its perfectly square footprint extends all the way to the top, with each side of the tower measuring 93 feet (28 metres) and each floor plate measuring 8,650 square feet (803 square metres).

The tower has an exposed concrete structural frame, which enables column-free interiors. Several open floors enable wind to pass through the building.

The Drake Hotel, a historic 21-storey tower dating to 1926, was demolished to make way for the super-tall tower.

Construction was temporarily halted in January 2015 due to a complaint about falling construction material, as Dezeen reported. A 2.5-metre pipe reportedly dropped from a hoist on the 81st floor of the tower and landed in the street. Nobody was injured, and construction resumed following an inspection by the city.

]]>https://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/15/raphael-vinoly-432-park-avenue-super-tall-skyscraper-new-york-instagram-photos/feed/37World's second-tallest building completed in Shanghaihttps://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/11/shanghai-tower-gensler-world-second-tallest-building/
https://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/11/shanghai-tower-gensler-world-second-tallest-building/#commentsMon, 11 Jan 2016 14:55:32 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=831351Architecture firm Gensler has completed its Shanghai Tower, which is now China's tallest building and the second-tallest building in the world. Located in Shanghai's burgeoning Lujiazui financial district, the 632-metre-high skyscraper is 31 metres taller than the previous title holder, the Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Mecca. The only taller building on the globe is the Burj Khalifa in

Each zone is organised around one of several "sky lobbies" – plant-filled atriums filled with natural light, designed to mimic the social environments traditionally created in town plazas and courtyards.

Construction of the skyscraper was completed at the end of 2015, marking its official entry into the list of the world's top 10 tallest buildings as recorded by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH).

Described by the skyscraper expert as an "important milestone", the building has pushed SOM's 442-metre Willis Tower – originally known as the Sears Tower – out of the list for the first time since its completion.

"Shanghai Tower embodies a new prototype for tall buildings," said CTBUH in a statement.

Gensler has not yet made its own announcement about the building's completion, as it is waiting until all safety reviews have been completed. But the firm expects it to be ready to open soon.

The skyscraper forms part of the city's so-called super-highrise precinct, located on a bend of the Huangpu river opposite downtown Shanghai. Its neighbours include the 421-metre-high, pagoda-shaped Jin Mao Tower by SOM, and the 492-metre-high Shanghai World Financial Center by Kohn Pedersen Fox.